Welcome to STAR 2013 for International Students

Congratulations on being admitted to Purdue University!We are delighted that you are coming to Purdue to continue your education, and look forward to welcoming you to our campus, West Lafayette, and the state of Indiana.

We know that most International Students cannot attend Purdue's Summer Transition, Advising, and Registration session days, also calledSTAR. Instead, we ask that International Students complete Virtual STAR, orVSTAR, through their computer. VSTAR is a set a of instructions that will prepare you to register for Fall courses, sign up for housing, prepare your visa, and other important tasks. The Fall 2013 semester begins on August 19, 2013.

Note: This summer, our program is changing its name from Undergraduate Studies Program (USP) to Exploratory Studies. Please be aware that your admissions material and VSTAR will still refer to us as "USP." Nevertheless, nothing else besides our name has changed. We're still the place to be for students exploring majors at Purdue!

Please complete these tasks:

Virtual STAR (VSTAR):Information about VSTAR will be sent to you on or around May 8. Select the section for "USP" students. As part of VSTAR, you will take a requiredonline mathematics placement called ALEKS. Please reserve 2 hours to complete the ALEKS test. For important information about ALEKS,please read this pagecarefully.

ReadtheInternational Students and Scholars Pre-Arrival information, especially theWOW (Weeks of Welcome) Guidebook. The guidebook will take you step-by-step through your visa application process. Then, sign up for your Mandatory International Student Check-in. We also encourage you to sign up for Boiler Gold Rush International (BGRi) and Boiler Gold Rush (BGR). BGRi happens first and allows international students to relax and meet other students before BGR. BGR is Purdue's official orientation week.

Afteryou complete these tasks, your Academic Advisor will e-mail you at your "@purdue.edu" address. The advisor will ask you which day and time is best for you to discuss Fall 2013 course registration and how to schedule courses. Appointments can be completed through the telephone, through Skype, or online through Adobe Connect.